The northern lights are one of the biggest draws to visiting Iceland
The northern lights are one of the biggest draws to visiting Iceland, however they are also one of the most elusive and unpredictable attractions this country has. Although it would be great to easily pinpoint a how to see them, there are a lot of variables to consider for seeing them: season, weather, length of stay, location and luck. Of course, there are lots of fantastic things to do in Iceland and it’s always best to think of seeing the northern lights as an added bonus. So e.g. plan your trip with unique experience like The Aurora Bubble You will come back happy even if you did not see any northern lights dance. Hopefully this article will answer all your questions about the best time to see the northern lights in Iceland!
What Are The Northern Lights?
First, a little bit of background on them. The northern lights are the result of electrically charged particles from the sun colliding with gaseous particles in the Earth’s atmosphere, causing displays of bright, colourful dancing lights. They are visible in the magnetic polar regions of the northern and southern hemispheres (they are known as Aurora australis in the south) and they can range in colour from white, green, pink and purple.
According to the Northern Lights Centre in Canada, scientific studies have found that the northern and southern Auroras often occur at the same time as mirror images. This of course means that the Auroras are often happening, even if they aren’t visible to us down on the ground. In the northern hemisphere, the lights are best seen from Iceland, Greenland, northern Norway, Siberia, the Canadian territories and Alaska. Thanks to the latitude of the North American continent in relation to the magnetic pole, the lights have been seen as far south as New Orleans! This is a rare and remarkable thing, though. Here in Iceland, seeing the northern lights is most certainly annual and regular, although still rather unpredictable.
The Best Time To See The Northern Lights In Iceland
Guaranteed darkness is the first important factor. The best season to see the northern lights in Iceland is from September to mid-April – these are the months where there are full dark nights. Some sources will recommend November to February, as they are the darkest months with the longest possible window to see the lights, however these sources often fail to take into account that these months can have the worst weather with lots of rain and snow. It is also not unheard of to see the lights as early as mid-August, once the final traces of the midnight sun summer are gone.
Second most important factor is the length of time you choose to stay in Iceland. To get the best odds of seeing the lights, it is recommended you stay a minimum of seven nights in the country. The northern lights usually tend to be very active for two to three nights, then low for four to five nights, in ongoing cycles. Naturally, not everyone can take long trips here and Iceland is a renowned stopover destination, but if the northern lights are on your bucket list we highly recommend you make sure you can take a good long trip here. Given that the factors for viewing them have to all be aligned, the longer time you spend in the country, the higher your chances are of seeing them.
Next important factor is the weather. Since Iceland is a small north Atlantic island, it is subject to fierce and rapidly changing weather. The old cliché “if you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes” could not be truer of this country. In order to see the northern lights, the skies need to be very clear. This often coincides with some of our coldest nights, since clear dark weather in Iceland usually means temperatures below freezing. On warmer nights, there is usually precipitation or at least quite a bit of cloud coverage.
Checking the weather forecast regularly in the days leading to your trip to Iceland will give you an idea of your chances for seeing the lights. Services like the Aurora forecast from the Icelandic Meteorological Office and the Aurora Prediction Page are very useful for hedging your bets. Look for the white parts on the forecast map which indicate the clarity of the sky, then compare whether there are low, moderate or high predictions in those regions. It is very important to check the conditions regularly, especially if you’re doing a self-drive.
As the old saying goes, location location location! Once in a while the northern lights will take Reykjavík by surprise and they are so strong that the city lights don’t matter, but most of the time, it’s best to get away from all the street lights and car brights. Taking your visit out of the capital and into the countryside further increases your chances of catching them. There are many great small towns to visit around the country with beautiful country hotels and guesthouses, just steps from pure un-modernized nature where there is no light pollution.
Our favorite countryside hotels are three. The first is The 5 Million Star Hotel, on the Golden Circle, not necessarily because it is on the popular circle, next to Gullfoss waterfall, but more because it gets so insanely pitch dark there. In one of the comments on Tripadvisor a client wrote: “I just walked outside of the hotel, just few meters and it was simply pitch dark. So pitch dark I could not find myself.” To be in a complete darkness is just an interesting experience by itself. The other two excellent options are Hotel Borealis (only a hour drive from Reykjavik – very quite and relaxing).
Some towns out in the countryside to consider (you need to rent a car then and maybe drive on icy roads) are Vík and Höfn in the south, Seyðisfjörður in the east, Dalvik Akureyri and Grímsey in the north, Ísafjörður in the westfjords, and Stykkishólmur in the west.
Guided Tours vs. Self-Driving
One big question many people have is whether to go on guided tours or to self-drive around to find the lights. Both of these options have their pros and cons and some people end up doing a combination of both. Guided tours have the advantage of being led by expert guides and drivers who closely follow the forecasts and have a keen knowledge of the road conditions and terrain. Of course, guided tours can place some constraints for certain travellers and can be subject to change based on unpredictable conditions.
A self-drive can be a really good option, but only if the driver(s) is very familiar with difficult winter roads. Our roads can be icy and snowy as soon as September hits, so it’s very important for drivers to be experienced and comfortable in all weather conditions. It is also very important to follow road regulations and safety precautions given by your rental company and the Icelandic Association for Search and Rescue. Provided you are comfortable with this, building your own driving itinerary to go hunt down the lights can be a very rich and rewarding adventure for your private memories. You will have a lot more freedom to hit the road on a whim if you see that the weather conditions are good near you and take on all the activities and sightseeing you want at your own leisure. Of course, you have to be willing to do a lot more research on your own and be diligent to watch the skies closely.
Hunting the lights, being it a guided tour or a self-drive is great, but recently the whale watching companies in Reykjavik have start offering a northern lights hunt on a boat. The advantages with this is that you don’t need to drive outside of Reykjavik, you can just walk down to the harbor and get on a boat. They will then sail outside of the light pollution. We recommend the northern lights tour from Reykjavik Sailors.
If you plan to spend a considerable length of time here, combining both guided tours and self-driving can be a really excellent option. You can stick to the easier routes on your own as you self-drive and have the same freedom to explore at your pace, but you can also treat yourself to a fun-filled adventure led by an expert guide. There are many tours that go to absolutely stunning locations to hunt for the lights, like the Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon or snowmobiling onto a glacier. Lately sleeping in a view through bubble while seeing the aurora dance for you has become popular. You even listen to Sigur Ros in their underwater speakers! What is great with this type of a tour is that you come back happy and relaxed even if you don’t see the aurora that night. Now that’s really something to Tweet about!
One other important thing to consider when coming to see the lights is bringing the appropriate attire. Remember: it will be winter! The key to dressing warmly in Iceland is lots of layers of natural fibre clothing – long underwear, cotton and wool socks, form fitting shirts and pants, topped off with insulated wind-and-waterproof outerwear. If you plan on spending any amount of time outdoors, this will be crucial for keeping you heated inside and out. And don’t forget a good hat, scarf and pair of mits! If you forget anything though, don’t worry. Reykjavík’s main shopping street Laugavegur has many great stores you can buy locally designed outergear.
Other Things To Do In Iceland
All this being said, it’s really crucial to plan your trip around other activities and sights besides the northern lights. There are so many wonderful things to do in Iceland and with the Auroras being as fickle as they are, it would be a shame to not make the most of a visit here because the lights didn’t turn up. Take in some of the country’s most famous sights on the Golden Circle tour. Easily done by guided tour or self-drive at all times of the year, you’ll see the Gullfoss waterfall, the original and eponymous Geysir, and the continental rift at Þingvellir national park, site of Iceland’s original parliament. Another great and relaxed tour is the South Coast Adventure, comprising the Seljalandsfoss and Skógarfoss waterfalls, the Reynisfjara black sand beach with its basalt column wall, and the magical town of Vík. For a longer drive along the south coast, continue on to see the Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon, where icebergs that break off of the great Vatnajökull glacier float into the sea. One more thing to mention are the helicopter tours in Iceland and surprisingly they dont cost too much. You can do it for similar prices as the guided super jeep tours. We recommend Nordurflug.
There is also a lot to see and do in the capital city of Reykjavík. Make sure to visit the Reykjavík Art Museum, a network of three separate centres housing a vast array of styles and eras of classic and modern art, each one dedicated to a famous Icelandic artist. The National Museum of Iceland displays a fantastic permanent collection that beautifully transports you through the history of the country from the time of settlement until present day. It also holds many temporary exhibits ranging from textile art to archeological reconstructions. You can also indulge yourself with local cuisine, going to any number of marvelous restaurants specializing in our best produce – lamb, lobster and fish.
Then there is of course the city’s famous nightlife and bar scene that is not to be missed on weekends. The city goes from a quiet fishing town to an all-out rager on Friday and Saturday nights, and there are dozens of bars in the downtown area to suit every taste and fancy. Take in a bit of everything and you are sure to have a fabulous stay in this country, northern lights or no northern lights.
This about completes the guide to seeing the northern lights in Iceland. Remember the factors: darkness, a week-long stay, good clear weather, picking your location and planning your itinerary. With all these taken into account, hopefully you will look up and be dazzled by the beautiful dancing lights. And if they don’t show themselves, you will still have had a great adventure in Iceland!
Thank you! I’m a night sky photographer planning a trip to Iceland.. this had some helpful information. See my work on my website (I make night sky films) at http://starmountainmedia.com
Woow some amazing footage you have shot! To say the least. You can send us a line at ferdamenn3@gmail.com if you need some help with the planning part
My husband and I leave for Rykjavik next week and see from the rainy forecast we probably won’t be seeing the elusive Aurora Borealis. Thank you for posting an Iceland vimeo so we can see what we’ll be missing and the beauty of Iceland that we WILL be experiencing!
I think I lost my comment. How can I find it? I’m new to this. 🙁
Can anyone tell me how likely I am to see the Northern Lights between 8-11 Dec 2014? Does it occur most nights if the sky is clear?
It is more and less impossible to give you any accurate chances. You might get some estimates 2-3 days before. And no it does not occur most nights if the sky is clear. We might have the solar storm creating aurora for 2-3 days and then nothing for next 6-7 days. So what all this comes down to if you want to increase your chances is to increase the number of days you stay in Iceland. That is the single most important advise. Also dont plan a trip to Iceland only to see the northern lights. Plan the trip to see Iceland as such and only look at it as a nice bonus if you see the lights. Look at tours like this one https://www.northernlightsiceland.com/aurora-floating-at-the-secret-lagoon/ because you will always get great experience even if you dont see the aurora.
Hi. Thank you for a great response. I more or less thought that was the case but I am was still a little unsure about the regularity of it. I want this trip to be perfect as it will be a surprise gift for my husband’s 50th birthday. I agree that the trip should not be just for the Northern Lights but it would be wonderful to see it 🙂 I will be staying in Reykjavik from 8-12 Dec so only 4 nights. I will also do the Golden Circle Tour to see the springs and falls and the Blue Lagoon Experience. I am wondering whether to also include the Game of Thrones Tour as my husband is a fan. Any other tips? Travelling from London with a tour operator if that helps. Thanking you in advance.
Did you make it to Reykjavik in December? How was it? what do you recommend doing/not doing? I would like to plan a trip for this coming December 2015
Yes I did. It was a fantastic holiday as it snowed heavily which created the magic I wanted. We did a 5 day trip. We arrived on Monday 8 Dec 14 in the afternoon so we walked down to Rejkavik town centre and had dinner. Tuesday to Thursday we did the excursions which were all wonderful. I recommend the Game of Thrones tour even if you don’t watch the series as I hadn’t. It was my husband’s surprise gift and he’s a GoT fan. The Golden Circle Tour which includes the Blue Lagoon and Northern Lights hunt is another must. The only negative was that on the night we spotted the lights, there were well over 15 coaches chasing all the spots at the same time so it was not the experience I wanted as too many people were around. It was cold as we were in the open but it was a phenomenon nonetheless. Tip: your fingers will freeze when take photos so take them fast. Unless you take your photos in gloves. I’m thinking of a girls Blue Lagoon trip for my birthday in Jan 15, that’s how great it was.
Hi,
Which Game of Thrones tour did you do and did it have a lot of overlap with the Golden Circle Tour? I’m heading over at the beginning of November and am trying to figure out what to do.
I’ll be planning a trip Sept./Oct…2015…and I hope to see the ‘lights, ride the ponies, swim in the pools’…and then on to London,Paris…just fun, fun…before we are entirely enslaved by the Elite..in the Agenda 21, Report from Iron Mtn…etc..They have created the bogus climate change, the chemtrails, the fraud, the theft, the in home energy audit, NO MORE CONSENT of any of this…see ‘Stop the Crime’ and you will see this is very real and coming to your city, town…
Hi there. First of all, thanks for all the tips. Really nice article.
But could u help me a bit more?
Well, i’m from Brazil and i’m planning to spent 6 days (5 nights) on Iceland during a Vacation on United Kingdom.
I not this time is not ideal to watch the Northern Lights, but as u said, i will to try to enjoy the country as a whole, not only the Aurora Boreal.
I will probably spend 2 nights at Reykjavik, 1 at Skaftafell, 1 at Vík and 1 at Hellar.
I will mix guided tours with self-driving.
What are my % chances to see the Northern Lights? 50%? Maybe more?
Thanks in advance.
Thanks for the info
Thinking of visiting Iceland somewhere around the first two weeks of September for five days. What possibilty do I have at seeing them? Should I postpone until October? What is off the beaten path? Two days in Reykjavik, and something local.
I’m planning to go on a trip to Iceland 30th of Aug. to 24th of Sep.. I really want to see the lights. Would you tell me how much possible for me to see them in September this year? And during the time which side of the country or which town is the best to see them? will it be better to join a tour if I’ll go by myself?
this article doesn’t even answer what the headline is….
Yes it does it’s very informative did u even read it ??
Thinking of booking for next September through icelandair, has any one had experience with them
Planning to visit in February 2016. My husband has a stamina problem which means he cannot walk too far and easily tires. Thinking of taking an organised package with Iceland Pro travel does anyone have any experience of this or suggestions which would help. Thank You
Hi its my hubby’s special brithday in November we are visitng from 27th to 30th, we are hoping to see the lights, keeping everything crossed. Whats the chances?
I would say you are chances are moderate. November is a good month however you are only staying for 3 days and that lowers your chance. Normally we recommend nothing less than one week. The lights might dance for us for 2-3 days and then nothing for 8-9 days, so you see why the number of days important
Oh I have installed the Auror app but have no idea how to read it, cant ask my hubby because its a surprise trip.
There are a lot of different apps, but one thing I noticed with the most of them is exactly the problem you are having, that you don’t really know how to use it. An app I’ve been working on solves this by presenting a simple, yet powerful tool, which present the current probability for auroral activity at a specific location. In other words, it will say the chance you have to see nothern light where you are, if weather conditions are good and it is really dark. Most likely to be launched in less than a week. You find it here, only for iOS though: http://www.viktornilsson.com/apps/auroranow/
Hi Viktor, do I take it correctly that you need to have Internet access whilst in Iceland for your app to work? Thanks
Hi Lilly and thanks for the reply! That is correct, the app needs some kind of internet access to work. Best regards, Viktor
Thank you for replying, we have 3 nights so will need to just hope and hope and hope. ?
am currently planning spending a week in Iceland from 10 – 17 Dec! Hoping to see the lights ..and all the other spectacular scenery the country has to offer! Am doing the fly-drive as am a photographer and want to be more flexible. Fingers crossed for the right conditions! 🙂
Sounds like a great plan. Flexibility is important but be careful in December / Jan / Feb / March. We might have serious snowstorms etc. Rent a 4×4 to be on the safe site and always have heavy duty winter clothes in the car in case something goes wrong e.g. get stuck on Holtavörðuheiði because of small cars (that is the most likely problem as there are always people that are careless). It happen to me once and the snowstorm killed the engine in 1 hour or so. So no heat in the car and nothing. Just pitch dark, crazy weather (you might if you are lucky see the red light on next car) and the only thing you can do is to wait for the rescue team to arrive.
Hi
Thanks for the reply! Yes, am hiring a 4×4 and have a lot of experience driving in severe conditions. Will be bringing an extra large case for all my winter gear!! Hoping to see some wildlife too ..if anything around in December! The island is deceptively large, and am looking to cram as much in as possible. I think there could be a lot of snowscapes being taken!
so good.
I’m considering a 5 day trip to Iceland, M-F, in January or February 2016 with “Great Value Vacations”. It includes hotels and breakfasts in Reykajavik, a tour of the Golden Circle and a search for the Northern lights. I’d also like to go to the Blue Lagoon…how could I accomodate that when it’s not a part of the tour? Any other must sees for a 5-day trip? Any experience, thoughts or considerations are welcome!
Same here, Paula. Please let me know what you find out. Thanks!
Hi there, I am looking at arriving 27 Feb & leaving 3 March. This should be enough time yeah? Or will it be too late to see the lights? I read that they said you should stay for a week but its tough to get that much time off. I am a little turned off with reading that there were lots of people there so I am leaning towards self drive and will get my partner to drive as he knows how to drive in snowy conditions. Would it however be a good idea to try a tour for one night? just to see what they have to say so if we miss it we can do it on our own and find our own way around?
Hi I’m going with my husband just for 3 nights next week for our anniversary , Sunday 24th Jan-Wed 27th Jan – at the moment it’s looking very cloudy and lots of rain and snow in the forecast – But I really want to see the lights so I’ll be praying alot!! Your website is very helpful. Just wondering, is the snow piled up in Reykjavic at the moment – trying to decide on the best footwear.
At the moment we have some snow piled up so expect a lot of snow, however when you are here in a week or so things might have changed completely. This is the reality of Icelandic weather and the risk when travelling here – it changes so fast. You need to be able to plan for all conditions. But I would say most likely you will have a lot of snow so plan accordingly.
ok thank you! By your experience – do you think we have a chance to see the lights – or is it really hard to tell?
It is really hard to tell. Normally people should plan for at least 1 week to increase the chances so 3 days is the main risk.
Hi coming to Iceland to see the Northern lights in 2018, when should we come? best time to see them? Thanks for helping.
so i can see u have visited from 24th to 27th jan, so how was your experience..? please help to share your experiences as we are planning to go in November 2016.
Hi Pranav,
Although we didn’t see the lights there are lots of lovely natural things to see in Iceland so if you like nature then it’s a beautiful place to visit – I recommend the Golden Circle tour and the South Shore tour – and there are also activities you can do there if you want to spend a bit of money 🙂
Do not expect to see the lights- take it as a bonus if you do – and even if you do – from the people I spoke to there, they said the lights are very faint – nothing like it appears in pictures!
Lovely people and a good experience in all.
I’m very glad I went.
I think your advise is spot on Zainab. Best to plan the trip as visiting Iceland as such and the northern lights if they dance are only a nice bonus. Often the lights are faint as you see but in between we also have lights to the bear eyes as you see them on pictures.
Hello, how many people do you take in each tour? My boyfriend and I are going to Iceland and Finland the second and third week of august. It seems we need a lot of luck to get to see them, but we will be hopeful and cross fingers. Is it possible to get in the tour if we trying booking 2 or 3 days before? we are not sure which exact days we will be in Iceland. Thanks!!
Great advice! Will be helpful when planning the Iceland ring road trip which we’ll document on our blog http://www.theroadtripdiary.com
Hello, I am trying to decide when to come, possibly when there is a better chance of seeing the Northern Lights, but when the days aren’t too short or too much extreme weather to see and enjoy all the natural beauty of Iceland, when would you suggest?
what are the chances to see the northern lights early January?
Been reading different things and not super sure
Do you recommend a particular jeep tour company(ies)?
I was thinking of buying a Groupon from Boston to see Iceland: Boston (BOS): Stay at CenterHotel Plaza, depart on 1/22/17 $699
Has anyone stayed at CenterHotel Plaza? Can anyone tell me how likely I am to see the Northern Lights between 1/22/17 – 1/28/17?
I’m planning my 40th birthday in Iceland, but it’s the first week in April 2016. Obviously, I’d love to see the Northern Lights while we’re there, but is this timing too late? Would it be better to go earlier…towards the middle or end of March?
Hi Jocelyn, you’ll have read from previous comments that seeing the lights is NEVER guaranteed whatever time you go. I’m not expert but from what I’ve read the lights can usually be seen up until mid-April, so keep your fingers crossed and try not to it ruin your holiday if you don’t see them. I’m heading there the first week of March in hope of seeing orcas and the lights, so I’ve got two reasons to keep my fingers crossed! Hope you enjoy yourself as it’s really a fantastic country x
Hey all! I visited Iceland January 2016 and LOVED every second. We were lucky to see the lights, do a whale watching tour (not so much luck) and go on the Golden Circle tour. My full itinerary with (what I hope is) a lot of useful information can be found here: https://lizzyslinesblog.wordpress.com/2016/02/01/enchanting-iceland/ if you fancy a read 🙂
I’m heading back in March 2017 for five nights; we’re driving up to Grundafjordur, then down to the south and back to Reykjavik for our last nights. So excited already!
Hi. Tried your blog link but it no longer works. Could you post again the working link? I’m considering the same itinerary you did before and very interested to read more about it. Thanks!
Hi Alice- I updated my blog name the other day. The link is now https://lizinwanderland.wordpress.com/2016/02/01/enchanting-iceland/ 🙂 x
HI Riley im interested in visiting Iceland, your blog is beautiful, what is the best date to visit Iceland
Hi Glenda, Iceland is a funny one because everything you (hopefully) see is entirely up to nature! However if I were to visit again I would aim for November or Feb/ March, as you would generally miss some of the worse weather and hopefully have a better chance of seeing the lights 🙂 Plus it’s not quite as bitterly cold as in Dec/ Jan! x
I realize the weather is unpredictable but this makes it almost impossible to determine when the best time to visit would be. Some people may only get to do these trips once in a life time so it’s important to know what times of the year might give you a better chance. For example, in Yellowknife, Canada they have a recommendation list by month based on their experience. That would be extremely helpful. I believe they base it on average and/or typical weather patterns. For example, September is usually cool and dry for them but then October and November are often cloudy/snowy due to the transition period. And then by mid-late December its usually very cold and clear as most of the snowfall has slowed down by that point. Any help is appreciated.
Saw the lights around Thingvellir, April 23rd, Breathtaking experience!
Thanks for these useful tips!! And if you are have problems editing your photos of the Northern Lights, take a look at my Adobe Lightroom Presets: https://www.presetbase.com/products/northern-lights-lightroom-presets
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/8dcbe7d9f2cd408d0696940b8ae1d295f3b61cf10ab43fe62d850b0e8a8f2e77.jpg
I will be flying in on a layover the last of April, first of May, arriving 6:30am. I hope I can see some Northern Lights from the plane. That would be so incredible!
Hi, we are planning to visit Iceland on November 18- November 21. Please suggest good tours to watch this beautiful Northern lights
does anyone know have many days out they can predict if the Northern Lights will be visible. Will be there from Oct 23-Oct 29 2017
Hello everyone, i am going for my erasmus the next year to iceland, i will stay there since the middle of august untill the middle of december. How high is the probability that i saw the boreal aurora??
On my bucket list, hope to do it in 2018 🙂
Thank you for this valuable information. I love the idea of going on a boat and hunting for The Northern Lights. Here’s to Iceland! I really want to take a vacation there soon.
Hi we are planning a 7 day trip to Iceland in first week of December. Our main agenda is to see aurora lightings. Is it going to be the best time?? we can adjust our trip till 31st December for having the highest proximity of seeing the aurora lightings
How are the chances of viewing the Northern Lights during march end